


Moving Forward

by MJ1Hawk



Series: King and Queen [1]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Engagement, F/M, First Time, Love, Oral Sex, Romance, Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:02:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24531238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MJ1Hawk/pseuds/MJ1Hawk
Summary: After only a handful of months of being separated, Makoto and Akira are reunited. However, Akira has a gut feeling that things won't quite be the same between them once the next few days are over. Four chapters in counting. *Updated to my liking, as well*
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Niijima Makoto, Kurusu Akira & Sakamoto Ryuji, Kurusu Akira/Niijima Makoto
Series: King and Queen [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1831336
Comments: 4
Kudos: 81
Collections: Persona 5





	1. Reunited

**Author's Note:**

> This may or may not bother some people but a certain character is going to be STAYING DEAD and not coming back. I personally felt the revival of him was totally cheap. Anyway, thanks for reading. I post every other day.

  
"HEY MAN!!!"  
  
Before Akira, with a heavy burgundy duffle bag over his shoulder, could even turn his head, he was being pounced on by an over energetic Ryuji in the backstreets of Yongen-Jaya. He had just shuffled his way up from the underground trains and burned his eyes in the bright summer sun peeking over the shabby apartments near Leblanc.  
  
"My guy!" Ryuji shouts, gaining the attention of two old disgruntled women gossiping around a milk crate on the ground. Akira grins at him in greeting and Ryuji pats his friend's shoulder with vigour as he cries, "Yo everyone's already waiting for ya, come on!" He starts running toward the cafe before Akira can even take a step.  
  
Da-ding!  
  
"Akira!!!" Ann wails, wearing a sweet yellow sundress cut above her knees. Her hair and eyes really pop with this new look, and she's slightly bobbing on her heels as she waves excitedly. Yusuke and Futaba look like they had been arguing behind the counter while Boss just shakes his head at them. Regardless, the two had given up, and now everyone's attention and loud greetings were overwhelming Akira, who tried to keep up with his nods of acknowledgement before he realized one important person wasn't there.  
  
"Where's Makoto?"  
  
"Argh, THAT'S the first thing outta his mouth?" Ryuji sighs, put out. He gets an eye roll and a shove from Ann who ends up giving Akira a side hug.  
  
"She’s coming soon I bet," Ann reassures him.  
  
"Hey, key item," Futaba calls out, jumping up on the counter to Sojiro's dismay.  
  
"He does not prefer that nickname," Yusuke interjects with his arms crossed and his hip against a sturdy booth.  
  
"OH shut it! We really missed you, ya know." Akira smiles and finally drops his duffel with a loud DUNK and a roll of his shoulders. He smiles bashfully and finally waves to Haru who’s sharing her new coffee with Sojiro again. The others smile right back at him in agreement with the youngest girl here.  
  
"You guys are alright," Akira shrugs. That has the group getting all riled up and whacking each other with flailing limbs until the door chimes. Akira whips his head around and his eyes widen behind his glasses. Makoto has one shy hand raised while her other arm is tightly hugging her stomach that is exposed by a dark red midriff.  
  
"Damn…" Ryuji comments before getting bored and averting his eyes. Akira raises a brow at his best friend before staring at his girlfriend all over again. 'Can she be anymore beautiful?' Not only was her stomach more exposed than ever, but the shirt even had shoulder cut outs. It looks like she stuck with black tights and a skirt anyhow. 'No complaints there,' Akira thinks excitedly, pumping his fist on the down low.  
  
“Hey,” Makoto greets simply, wearing a blush up to her ears.  
  
"Damnnnnn," Ann comments with a big cheeky smirk, just making Makoto drop her eyes and wave it off with a timid smile. "Don't just stand there, lover boy!" Ann pushes Akira forward a step and he stumbles over his big feet, "Go get her!" Akira slowly approaches with his back hunched like always, and Makoto smiles at him through her lashes with a huge smile on her face. Akira doesn't say anything before he scoops her up in his arms, crushing her with his hug.  
  
"I missed you so much, babe." Makoto blushes more and hugs him back with a tightness under her breast. Tucking his head against her neck, he takes a minute to breathe in her scent he’s so nostalgic for. Over his shoulder, Makoto catches their friends smiling happily at the exchange except for Ryuji who's finding more interest in fixing his white belt holding up his baggy black shorts. As Akira lets go, he sneaks in a kiss against her forehead and whispers, "Make sure you stay until everyone else goes tonight, ok?" Makoto blinks, but before she can question it, Ryuji starts barking again and demanding they celebrate their leader's return with expensive sushi.  
  
"Well you won't get me to pay," Sojiro huffs, shaking his head as he cleans the dated yellowing counter. Makoto finds she can't care less about where they go or what they do because she’s far too distracted by the way her boyfriend's hand is reaching for hers. She’s swept off her feet and mentally taken away just like that. 'It’s been too long since I felt this way,' Makoto realizes. 'It’s only been a few minutes and I’m already happier than I’ve been in two months.' Her bright eyes look up at him and she can’t help but get loopy.  
  
Before long they’re all rushing down the streets toward the train station. ...And GEEZ was the train packed this Monday at one twenty-two. 'I could swear it wasn't like this on the way here,' she thinks to herself as the teens pile on nearly toe to toe while a bunch of unfriendly adults eye them suspiciously.  
  
"Where are we going again?" She asks with a low voice so as not to disturb other riders.  
  
"What, were ya too busy drooling over this guy?" The other people are already shaking their heads at Ryuji's consistently obnoxious voice.  
  
"Keep it down," Ann scolds, jerking her elbow into Ryuji's side roughly until he scowls and stares out the smudged window. "We're just stopping off at the mall to try out the new ramen shop. Something different for Akira to see since it's been a while." Akira smiles in thanks and squeezes Makoto's hand a little tighter. "Oh and," Ann leans into Makoto with her head tipped to one side, "I'll be sure to get these idiots out of your guys’s hair tonight." There’s an edge of sensuality to it that sets something off in the couple. Makoto feels her face go hot and she presses into Akira a little tighter for some back up.  
  
"I-I see," Makoto stammers.  
  
"Thanks," Akira chuckles, itching the back of his neck. There’s a heavy amount of tension between the couple now, and both of them are all too aware of how much their bodies are aching for the other. Even just a kiss would be the best thing in the world right now, but they hold off. 'It’s gonna be explosive tonight, that’s for sure,' Akira thinks excitedly.  
  
Once they all yell over each other to get their orders in, they sit down at a huge steel booth in the center of the bustling cafeteria with sticky green tiles under their feet. Everyone in the group barrages Akira with question after question about how things are with him back home, and he answers in his cool and level headed way until Ryuji slams his hand against the table and demands that Akira will,  
  
"Tell me ya got some hot girls back home!"  
  
"Here we goooo," Ann sighs, closing her eyes and sipping up her broth.  
  
"Akira-kun is not the kind of boy to think like that," Haru argues with a shake of her head. Her tea cup is just a hair away from touching her lip and messing up her bright lip gloss.  
  
"I haven't noticed any," Akira explains quietly, feeling his girlfriend's burning eyes on him as he chugs his strawberry Ramune. Ryuji slams the table again and the artist groans.  
  
"You are interrupting my dessert," Yusuke complains, closing his eyes in distaste.  
  
"Oh shuddup," Ryuji hisses, leaning over the table toward his best friend again, leering like a thirsty wolf. "Now come on, tell me you're getting some from someone el--"  
  
"--Excuse me?" Makoto interrupts with dead seriousness that makes the blonde boy slowly take his seat and bow his head.  
  
"Sorry Queen," he mumbles, making Futaba laugh outwardly with her knees up to her chest. Akira pats Makoto's lap under the table and she quickly takes his hand.  
  
"We don't need a repeat of last month do we?" Ryuji gulps at Makoto's threat and his eyes widen at his half eaten bowl before he stuffs food in his mouth and swallows an egg hole.  
  
"Last month?"  
  
"Futaba caught him sending you henta--"  
  
"HEY WHY YA GOTTA TELL EVERYONE, HUH?!" Ann and Yusuke laugh under their breath and Futaba loudly explains that,  
  
"Makoto knocked him into the next room." Said young woman huffs at the memory and Akira kisses the top of her fuming head.  
  
"I wouldn't have wanted it anyway," Akira reminds her. She shivers at his hot breath against her ear. 'Well that’s distracting,' she thinks to herself, playing off her tremors with a shrug.  
  
"I know… it was probably wrong for me to intervene anyhow. He is your best friend after all."  
  
"Yeah, ya think?" Ann stomps on Ryuji's foot and he yelps before shutting up again.  
  
"I understand, Makoto. I'm not upset by what you did anyhow." Makoto nods her head and feels her body untense at his words. The rest of their meetup goes smoothly. By seven P.M. they've all been sitting and chatting while huddling around the Leblanc counter playing a boardgame Futaba begged to play. After a while, Akira ends up losing and sits at a booth listening to the banter among the group before he surprisingly hears the over excited verbal buzzing from Futaba letting them all know Makoto is out next. Akira scooches closer to the wall so his girlfriend can sit on his side of the cramped booth.  
  
"You lost on purpose didn't you?" Makoto just grins and wraps her arms around Akira's slim neck before boldly nipping at the lobe of his ear. He hums in approval and his hands reach for her waist before dragging upward and caressing the smooth skin on her back. She shivers obviously and he smirks more like the Phantom Thief in him than he has in awhile.  
  
"Don't give me that," she breathes against his shoulder. "It's been a really long time since you touched me," she defends, brows knit. He runs his hand through her short feather soft hair and watches as his fingers graze her shoulder. Their faces are close enough to see the specks in each other’s exotic eyes.  
  
"Trust me, I understand," Akira chuckles, bumping his longer nose against her's. Their lips slightly part and the mint from the gum he was chewing earlier pleasantly fills her nose. Her red eyes are transfixed on his lips that are turned up on one side and am I sweating, she wonders absently. However, Akira retreats inside his own mind when he notices that the others are too busy playing to notice the couple who are in their own world only a few feet away. 'I could say something particularly flirty but I run the risk of scaring her off,' Akira thinks to himself. '...I may as well try.' He leans in, brushing his lips against her cheeks until he gets to her ear where he huskily whispers, "You have no idea how much I've been wanting you, Makoto." His girlfriend seems to freeze at that. Giving her nearly a full minute, he decides to push his luck further and slide his hands down to her thighs, brushing his fingers under the hem of her skirt. "I've had to get myself off almost every night this week knowing I was gonna see you again just so I could hold myself back when I finally met your eyes."  
  
"Oh my God," she gasps in a choked way. Her hands tighten around his shirt collar and pull him impossibly closer. He leans back to look at her face that’s beet red with her bottom lip caught tightly between her even teeth. She seems stuck between being worried and being incredibly heated and it makes Akira's penis twitch in his black and red checkered pants. Noticing she’s closed her legs tighter together, it makes him twitch again. She's looking for friction. Even though he wants to just reach out and touch her where she clearly wants it, he holds himself back because doing something so brash in front of their friends would be a sure fire way to ruin their first time.  
  
That's right. First time. No wonder Makoto’s looking frazzled and straining herself to watch her own reactions out of embarrassment.  
  
"I-is that why you asked me to st-stay late?" Akira reaches up to the back of his warm neck and digs his nails in slightly. The anxiety is kicking in now. The two still haven't noticed that Ann’s looking their way and picking up on the vibes with a frustrated slouch. 'No stop being jealous,' Ann tells herself. 'It’s fine.'  
  
"Maybe part of the reason, yeah. Of course I want to hang out with you more than just… that though."  
  
"Alright guys, let's go home," Ann announces while unexpectedly chucking the pieces of the board game back in its box. Ryuji throws his arms up and tries holding onto the board with his slippery hands. It becomes a game of tug of war until Ann kicks his shin and he cries out, getting angry when Futaba laughs at him and points in his pouty face.  
  
"Yeah yeah--" Ryuji coughs, standing up and shoving his hands in his pockets, making his shorts sag more. He completely looks past Makoto and holds his hand up to high five Akira who gives him a firm slap that turns into a hand shake. The two boys hum and smile at each other.  
  
"Cute," Ann comments, patting Makoto's back in farewell before holding her hand over her mouth and slyly whispering, "Have fun you two." Makoto whines and itches her scalp before Futaba and Yusuke follow after the blondes. Haru gives a side hug to them both before parting ways as well. Akira shifts and the couple stand up, waving at everyone before Akira flips the sign for the cafe and locks the door. He braces the handle and in turn braces his mind before turning back around to look at his suddenly insecure girlfriend. She’s awkwardly hugging herself and looking blankly at the painting of Sayuri now. Akira knows that look on Makoto’s face though. 'She’s panicking now that we’re finally alone.' It seems that even Sojiro had an inkling the two might want to be alone since he privately told Akira he can stay upstairs for the night instead of staying in a cozy room back at Boss's home.  
  
"Want some ice cream?" Akira offers with a shrug.  
  
"I'm far too full for that but… thank you. Really." The two sort of rock back and forth on their heels, starring in opposite directions before Akira drops his hands at his sides and lunges forward out of nowhere. He starts tickling Makoto's ribs and she shrieks, bursting with laughter. "No no! I hate--AHH!" He doesn't let up, grinning like a fool and taking the uncontrollable hits his girlfriend is sending his way. "Pleaseee stop!" He finally gives in after an agonizing minute, and she sags against him, pressing herself against his chest. Their heartbeats slow down just to pick up again at the closeness of their bodies, and Makoto takes a minute just to breathe again. 'Truly, I haven’t felt like I could breathe since the moment he left.' She shuts her eyes tight, nearly crying all of a sudden. 'I didn't ever think I could miss someone so much.'  
  
Two Months Back:  
  
The time apart started off strong, and they had promised each other they wouldn't get too sad since they knew within sixty days they would see one another again. But then, just seven days in, she cried herself to sleep for the first time since her father died, and she had to shamefully pick up her phone to call Akira at one A.M. on a weekday, surely disrupting his sleep.  
  
"I-I'm s--HICK--sorry Ak--HNN--I hate being apart--I can--" she had been a complete mess, and despite being distraught over such a small thing, she was angry that she had let herself fall this hard that she relied on another person to such an extent. She felt like she had broken in two the second he got on the train back home after the group of them dropped him off. Of course he calmed her down like no one else could have as he whispered soothingly into her ear over the phone while she stuffed her face into her cushy pillow. Makoto would have been mortified if Sae heard her.  
  
"Don't feel ashamed," he had demanded right away, already knowing that was in the forefront of her mind. How did she find someone who could read her so well? Not even her sister was as proficient in her Makoto Niijima knowledge as Akira was. "Just listen to my voice. I'm here for you, Makoto. Always." In all honesty, she couldn't hear much of what he was saying after that since she was busy heaving into her pillow. When she finally calmed down thirty minutes later, she swallowed jaggedly and begged him to,  
  
"Say you love me." She felt like an idiot when the words slipped out into her cool pitch black room until his deep voice rang out.  
  
"I love you Makoto." Her heart soared. "I love you completely."  
  
Now:  
  
That sweet beating of her heart is back here, in Leblanc, in his lanky arms again at last. His black t-shirt is soft like tissue against her nose, and she muzzles him closer, her anxiousness finally slipping away. He presses kiss after kiss against her head and gently runs his fingers up and down her back until her eyes flutter closed.  
  
"Mm," she hums, lips against his clavicle.  
  
"Feels good?" She just nods and she can hear his teeth click when he grins down at her. A minute goes by and she feels herself rocking slightly, so fixed on his touch that she can hardly hold herself up. She opens her eyes and leans back a little.  
  
"Akira?"  
  
"Yeah?" Makoto tugs at her shirt and looks down at the dark floorboards.  
  
"Sorry I… lost my train of thought, I guess."  
  
"I get that," he admits. It seems like he can't stop touching her because even now he's dragging his hands over her arms and watching his own movements with an intensity she doesn't see in him often. One of his hands snake their way up her neck and his fingers tangle into her feather soft hair, cradling the back of her head before he leans in slightly. Her breath catches in her own throat. 'And why am I still getting this nervous over just a kiss? Get a hold of yourself, Makoto.'  
  
"You should." Akira raises a brow at her quick words. "You should kiss me." Akira hums in a cocky sort of way and she almost groans before he hurries to claim her mouth as his. She's hooked at the first taste of his tongue. "Nn--mmph." A rush of arousal floods her hips and they surge forward against his before she can help it. She opens one eye to see if he noticed but he doesn't show it on his face. Akira pulls her flush against him and cranes his neck to kiss her deeper while slowly guiding her toward the front door so he can blindly flip the lightswitch off. 'Good idea. No one can see in with the TV glare.' She can't think past that once his hand reaches down to her backside and squeezes because she's caught between being put off by the feeling and desperately wanting more of it. Apparently he gets that though, because he only squeezes one more time before scooping his arm under her backside and lifting up. She pulls her mouth off him and, with alarm, yelps out a--  
  
"Hold on!"  
  
"Too late." She has no choice but to hold onto his neck and wrap her legs around his narrow waist.  
  
"Akira! I'm too heavy!" He just shakes his head fervently and kisses her nose.  
  
"Don't be a silly goose. You’re the perfect weight, my Queen."  
  
"...You’re so tacky sometimes." They both smile and he starts kissing her again, freezing in place to suck on her bottom lip. He didn't think about how distracting her mouth will be though because he can hardly walk a step toward the stairs before stopping again to kiss her mouth. His body hums with want now, needing her closer but having no way of doing so. 'I feel like I’m gonna go crazy,' he thinks to himself. She starts to take over the kissing and she presses her breasts into his chest which he groans at, noting the subtle feeling of her hard nipples teasing him.  
  
"Ungh," he moans. I want to hear more of that. And quick, Makoto decides.  
  
"T-take me upstairs," she rasps into his mouth, not even opening her eyes. He doesn't move at first, too focused on sucking her plump tongue that's peeking out of her swelling lips. He grinds against her more purposefully and she whines loudly. "O-oh God…." She pushes him by his shoulders and he finally stops his kissing before they both give each other equally needy looks. "I’m... really REALLY scared but um. L-let's try ok?"  
  
"For real?!" She sheepishly grins. He kisses her again with all he’s got and starts jerkily making his way to the steps again. His horny teenage brain really kicks in now. 'Holy shit. HOLY. SHIT. I’m really going to be able to touch her and…' He exhales loudly.  
  
"Please don't drop me," she worries against his neck that she was biting at a second prior.  
  
"Then stop kissing me like that," he jokes.  
  
"You've gotten cockier, huh…?" He just smirks, satisfied with himself, and she frowns before sucking extra hard in the place that makes under his ear that makes him twitch like crazy. He gets so into it he closes his eyes and almost loses his balance on the stairs. Makoto gasps and braces them against the wall with one hand. They both stifle their laughs before bursting out into a fit of giggles, and he sets her down on the top step. "You're too much for your own good," she reasons, wiping at her eye.  
  
"That would've gone in the books for the best screw up I've done. Instead of busting a nut I'd bust our heads."  
  
" _Akira! _Language!" He just snickers and she shoves him up the last of the stairs with a chuckle under her breath. When they take in the wide expanse of the room however, and his head snaps to the right where a certain loudmouth cat should be… his happiness falters. Akira drags his hand over the light blond wood of the table top, leaning heavily on the surface.  
  
"I didn't think about this part when I came up here…" Akira mutters. Makoto quickly comforts him, hugging him from behind as if to give him a sense of privacy. She knows he never cries in front of anyone… he hasn't even cried in front of her. And now she's wondering one thing.  
  
"Akira…? Did you, um. Did you ever cry over him?" Her boyfriend's breath hitches and Makoto finds herself cringing slightly.  
  
"I don't want to talk about that." Straightforward and slightly harsh. Makoto lets go of him and places her hands behind her back. A sharp wall comes up between them and Makoto purses her lips with a wrinkle in her brow.  
  
"I'm sorry to pry." Akira doesn't say anything and drags himself over to the wooden wall where his idol poster of Rise Kujikawa still hangs. The top left edge never did stay up quite right, and now it’s about to completely fall down. 'There’s some irony there, huh?' He stares at it with his hands shoved in his deep pockets where his fingers play with little bits of lint. The two are sort of just there again, breathing in the same air but hardly sharing the same space. 'I shouldn’t have said anything,' Makoto thinks with frustration as she takes her eyes off the back of his head and gazes over at the three row shelf packed with accessories. She walks toward the small picture of them he had taken time to print from the arcade. Makoto thought it was flattering since they hadn't even been dating when the picture was taken. When she had asked him why he did it, he just said he wanted to. 'Illusive as always.' Ccc-tk! Makoto turns around to spot Akira rapidly flipping through channels manually with the sticky black button on his CRT. Makoto sighs outwardly.  
  
"Did I really damage the mood this severely?" Akira pauses his hand right where it was before turning the TV off and standing up again.  
  
"...Sorry. I… I don't know what I was thinking. It shouldn’t have gotten to me like that." Akira's head falls again and she feels herself getting more and more on edge. "I'll get over it. Wanna kiss for a while?" Makoto opens her mouth but nothing really comes out because she's too busy studying his eyes that are cloudy and a little red.  
  
"Sit down."  
  
"Ok?" He awkwardly settles on the jankey old couch and she swiftly sits down next to him, reaching for his boney knee.  
  
"I need you to tell me something. Please be honest. I'll know if you lie," he warns with a finger up to her chin.  
  
"Makoto…?" She just shakes her head and kisses him softly on the lips. Her next words come out hushed.  
  
"When's the last time you cried about something?" Akira shifts to the side and breaks their eye contact. His jaw has become so rigid it seems like it could pop at any time.  
  
"Well… I dunno." He looks as though he is about to stand again so Makoto straddles his lap and he looks up at her with surprise.  
  
"When was it?" She presses on his firm shoulders and he drops his hands on the couch by her thighs without touching her.  
  
"L-last month."  
  
"And when before that?" He just shakes his head. "You can't remember?" He shakes his head no again. She cautiously grabs the sides of his skinny face and directs him toward her so their foreheads are close. The bridge of his glasses is bumping into her so she gently removes them before continuing. She rubs at the back of his skull with prying fingers which seems to calm him down. She wants to push… wants to ask what he cried for and why he hadn't ever talked about Morgana since it happened, but she keeps quiet. To her surprise… he breaks the silence with a sharp intake of breath and squeezes his watery eyes shut before covering them with one shaky hand.  
  
"Can you get off?" He tries to keep his voice even but the sniffling kills it. "I need a second downstairs; I forgot something." Makoto doesn't move. His struggling is half hearted but it's clear he's grown excruciatingly uncomfortable. She tries to steer this situation into something different… so she kisses him fully on the lips and assures him that,  
  
"Let it out in front of me. Trust me, baby." His breath catches again and the wrinkling on his brow looks almost painful now. Makoto threads her fingers through his hair and out of nowhere, he latches onto her and sucks in raggedly against her smooth neck. He makes little noises of a cry that's being held in achingly and she's never felt her heart hurt like this. From the trauma of losing people close to him to the feeling of being alone in confinement for months… she couldn't imagine the pain. Not only that, but,  
  
"I h-hate being a-ap--AHEM. Apart from you, i-it feels… it feels wrong," he cries, holding in heavy sobs that wrack his chest. The gasps for air make Makoto nearly cry herself and she hugs him tighter over his shoulders. "Makoto…" he half-whines, "I just want to be with you already." Her eyes widen at his statement since he hardly ever says so much let alone something so revealing.  
  
"One year and you'll be out of high school," she reminds him, keeping their cheeks pressed against one another. He doesn't respond back, instead holding her waist tighter with his arms. Soon, memories of everything he's gone through flood his mind like he always tries to avoid, and out of nowhere the dam in him bursts. He's crying like he hasn't since he was a little boy, and it makes him feel more pathetic than anything.  
  
"Shh shh, it's ok Akira. It's alright sweetheart." Somehow her simple words help him relax, but he can't stop the crying no matter how he tries to berate himself. "I love you so much."  
  
Somehow here at eight P.M. on a weekday like every other, Makoto Niijima got her boyfriend to peel back his layers of defense and nonchalance.  
__


	2. First Time

  
Some time has passed since Akira opened up. After he cried for what felt like hours to him, he spoke about all sorts of things Makoto hadn't even thought he'd ever think about. They were laying side to side on his bed with their shoes kicked off and their knees and arms touching while he said more consecutive sentences than he ever had to her.  
  
"I got a really cool statue of the red Featherman last week just cuz it reminded me of Futaba," he mentions randomly. Makoto can't keep the smile off her face as she tucks one arm under her head and listens. "I'm thinking about getting the pink one now since she reminds me of you."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Well," Akira starts, scratching his chest. "Futaba once compared the Thieves to the Feathermen, and if I was the leader then I was red… and since you're my second in command… you're the pink one."  
  
"Second to you?" She teases him with a half-serious scowl.  
  
"Of course not in reality… you're better than me in every way," he remarks quietly.  
  
"I'm not," she insists, allowing him to trace his thumb over her jaw again and again. "That feels really nice," she comments, touching his chest.  
  
"Mm." His thumb strokes down her neck before his hand drags along the length of her arm and guides one of her thighs over his hip, pulling her closer. Just like that the atmosphere changes between them and the melancholy swirl of their anxiety from before dissipates into budding arousal. Looking into his grey eyes is intense even with his glasses, but without them like right now, Makoto can hardly stay focused. She fixates on his lips before they both lean in and start with closed mouth kisses. The way her heart starts fluttering almost makes her sick.  
  
"I love you," she rasps, kneading his chest more purposefully. Her words make him respond with the opening of his mouth, where he then takes her top lip fully and rubs her thigh with his free hand. His fingers knead at the muscles still toned and strong to the touch. The little noises of contentment from deep in his throat spurs Makoto on, and she bravely sits up without warning, to shed herself of her shirt. Akira groans at the sight of her black lace bra paired with the red blush on her chest. He sits up quickly and tugs her hips, to which she takes the hint and straddles him accordingly. Akira gladly takes this opportunity to run his hands over her stomach before grazing his thumbs over both of her clothed breasts. Makoto breathes shakily and he groans appreciatively at the movement of her hips that continue to rock ever so much. 'Dammit,' he worries. 'I want this more than I thought.' Just this bare display of affection is making his penis throb with want, and after another second it's clear Makoto can feel it poking her mound. He’s never seen her look so frustrated, tugging her hair in the back and biting her swollen lip.  
  
"Hh--how do we start?" she asks, eyes shut. Akira stops kissing her mouth to suck at her clavicle, leaving the barest mark of pink.  
  
"We already did," he answers simply, grabbing his own shirt and pulling it over his head. The way his messy hair falls back into place urges Makoto to play with it more. While she does that, Akira kneads one of her breasts again while kissing the top of another. 'I've never wanted them to be kissed but this is… amazing,' Makoto thinks with her head tilted back.  
  
"Take it off," she quickly requests. Akira feels his heart rate pick up now and he struggles with the hooks before doing more pushing than pulling, and the bra comes undone to reveal Makoto's perfect pair of breasts made just for him to see. "Ah--ah this is more embarrassing than I had imagined," she shyly says, stuttering and covering herself with one arm.  
  
"No no no, you look amazing," he remarks confidently, gently pulling her arm away so he can stare. Without a second's hesitation he dips his head and takes a hard nipple into his mouth and sucks eagerly.  
  
"O-ow. Little softer." He does just that and fumbles for her other nipple with an untrained hand to pinch. Despite his clumsiness, Makoto lets out a half moan and holds his shoulders for support. "Wow. You're… good at that."  
  
"Mm. Well you feel good." His fingers twist and her back arches. “Can’t wait to feel even more of you.”  
  
"Argh, that's… you're making me more flustered!" He just chuckles against her breast. "Akira," she moans, face burning up to her ears. Her body reacts instantly to anything he does, and she knows she's soaking through her underwear, easily. It's such an uncomfortable amount of wetness that it makes her pray he takes her tights off soon because it's starting to get increasingly more sticky. She hopes the bucking of her hips informs him well enough. He stops with his mouth and looks up at her face.  
  
"You want this? Are you really sure?" Makoto can hardly hear him over the obnoxious pounding of her own heart, but she nods. "Please say it."  
  
"I want you."  
  
"Ok," he breathes, looking like he's trying to hide the excitement on his handsome face. He sucks at the side of her neck, tickling her with his lips before shifting up and flipping her onto her back where he settles between her legs on his knees. His long fingers drag over her stomach and start to unzip her skirt. Makoto takes one big breath as she fixes his old pillow behind her neck. She watches his eyes worship every bit of skin that comes into his view as he drags out the process of removing her clothes until she's completely naked under his heavy lustful gaze. His breathing has already become labored and Makoto’s basking in how obvious it is that he wants her just as badly.  
  
"T-take yours off," she hurriedly asks, covering herself a little by closing her legs. That just helps to illustrate how wet she is however, since the clicking of her arousal is louder than her whispers. 'I need to stop being so embarrassed because this is… UGH, I can't describe it! This doesn’t feel like the fantasies I’ve made up NOR does it feel rushed. It's real, and it’s happening right now.' Akira's mouth nearly hangs at the sound but he shakes his head clear and gets off the bed for a second so he can undo his pesky belt and fold his pants before dropping them to the floor. He keeps his underwear on however, which makes Makoto's eyes blink in question.  
  
"I shouldn't just go in right away, it'll hurt right?"  
  
"Oh. Um. Right. Probably." He chuckles a little which frustrates her beyond belief. "Don't laugh at me this is… really big."  
  
"I'm not laughing at you," he promises, putting a hand on the bed next to her waist while the other hand holds her ribs. "It's just different to see you so vulnerable. I love it." That gets her thinking. So he likes that too. She shifts on the bed to get more comfortable on his pillow. "And I love this," he trails off, eyes going down her whole body to the glistening lips between her legs that he hesitantly touches with two fingers.  
  
"Hhh-hnn." Her body reacts sharply, releasing more arousal that actually drips onto the white sheets. His fingers run over the long crease of her and she gasps when his finger tip pushes in to soak up some of her cum before dragging his way back to her clitoris. He presses a little too hard but she can't even complain, her body wants this too much for it to not feel good.  
  
"Am I supposed to rub side to side?"  
  
"Up and down," she answers quietly. She's surprised she didn't stutter. Maybe if I tell him what to do I feel more in control and… and maybe I won't freak out. He starts rubbing, still being a little rough. She reaches for his wrist and squeezes until he lets up a little. "Just like that. Mmm." She looks down and watches his hand touching her where no one else ever has. Her eyes catch the way his tight underwear can hardly constrict him and she almost feels bad. "Do you want to take those off?" And then a lightbulb up goes off and she sits up a little with wide scared eyes. "Do you even have condoms?!" He glances up at her with a little bit of a blush of his own and nods.  
  
"I bought some… just in case." Makoto lets out a small sigh of release and lays back again. She shuts her eyes, wanting to focus on his touch more. The way he's rubbing her is somehow almost perfect and it has her making little gasps for air and arching her back. Usually it takes her a long time to get close to an orgasm but maybe because it's him she's already feeling her insides tightening pleasantly. It's everything from the way his hard calloused fingers press down, to the softness of his wrist tickling her inner thighs. But just seconds later she forgets herself and moans loudly at the thought of what it'll be like when he's finally inside her. "Your voice is so sexy," he comments breathlessly. Makoto opens one worried eye just to be corrected by the look of absolute need in his. He looks hyper focused but also gentle about everything and that's enough to distract her again before he shoves one long finger in.  
  
"AH--Akira!"  
  
"Too soon?"  
  
"No, too _good! _" She pulls him down closer by his upper back and knocks her forehead into his while he slides his second finger in. "Hah. Hnn!"  
  
"You're so…" he just finishes with a pained moan of his own and basks in the feeling of her arousal coating his fingers and palm that's pressed up against her clitoris. Makoto's trembling thighs are pressed against his sides and he loves it more than he can say. 'I want them wrapped around me,' he thinks to himself. His body is covered in goosebumps that make him shiver closer into her side. He holds himself up with one arm and moves his waist in closer to the back of his hand, so with every unpracticed thrust of fingers, his waist mimics what he's bound to do with his penis. They both moan at that first thrust.  
  
"I-I need you," she says quickly, kissing him with more desperate vigor than usual. Her fingers pull at his hair almost painfully but he says nothing and thrusts a little faster without going too deep. "Mmm!!! Akira please!"  
  
"Don't beg; you don't have to. Ever." He keeps her going by continuing to ram his fingers in and out of her before a sharp jerk of her hips accidentally brushes his penis and it's his turn to cry out. They both look at each other with surprise before he jumps off the bed and finds himself scrambling toward his backpack, and soon he's naked, rolling latex over his leaking penis. Before he can roll the condom all the way down, Makoto sits up behind him and experimentally grabs the base with cold fingers. He's never groaned so loudly in his life.  
  
"It's really hot… and kind of sticky." He didn't add anything or even react because he's too busy trying to be calm. "Sorry I just wanted to touch it before it was… yeah. Um. Continue, I guess. Heh." Makoto rubs the back of her head and lays right back down, listening to the creaking of the springs as he shuffles between her thighs, and she jumps at the feeling of his penis's head falling against her stomach.  
  
"Guide it in." She does just that, but she gets increasingly nervous when she has a little difficulty getting past the very tip.  
  
"Shit," she swears, covering her mouth after.  
  
"What…?"  
  
"I'm… I'm having um. It's a little tighter than I thought. I haven't used anything b-big before."  
  
"Go slow," he whispers into the dead silent air. He gives her a bit of privacy by tucking his head into her neck and shutting his eyes. "You can do this. If it hurts too much though, don't go any further." She doubts she even has that kind of resistance in her despite what some may think. She wants him if the pulsating inside of her was anything to base it off of. “You ok?” SHe just nods, clenching her teeth. His waist moves forward a bit and she gasps harshly, making him freeze.  
  
"No! Press i--GY--" Her eyes fly open and a sharp spike of pain shocks her entire system when he spreads her open. She has goosebumps covering every inch of her body now.  
  
"Are you ok?" He sounds a little desperate.  
  
"Y-yeah. I--this is really different." Akira wraps one arm under her neck while his other hand digs into the bed by her gorgeously full waist. He's hardly moving and already he's feeling something building up.  
  
"Holy… crap," he laughs. Akira feels like he’s on cloud nine right about now. 'Nothing can stop this. We’re never turning back,' Akira thinks with an ease seeping into his heavy heart. Makoto has to laugh a little too, and she wraps her ankles behind his back making him whine and push in a little too abruptly.  
  
"Slow!" He does what she says, and pretty soon they're moving at a decent enough pace for him to start feeling his lower back muscles tense. The room's dark except for the orange light coming in from outside which causes a low hum to vibrate the window. The darkness soothes Makoto since she feels less bare even though that was a moot point now; she was always bare in front of Akira who could see through her completely at any moment. As he continues to rock himself into her, she's clenching without thinking, but that honestly just got him more and more excited as her insides pulled him further in every time he moved. His breath comes out a little unevenly after a few minutes and he gets down on both elbows, causing their faces to come only a hair width apart. He has no idea why people complain about wearing condoms because this feeling of being completely inside her is more than enough for him. He can feel every beat of her heart with this connection and that’s what he cares about more than anything.  
  
"I-I love this," Akira pants. "I love you." Makoto smiles and nods with him, her little moans don't allow her to say much else. Her breasts rub against his skin with every thrust and it's amazing to feel his skin against her nipples. She runs her hands over his flexing back, appreciating the fine muscle. All of a sudden he starts hitting something really deep in her and she whines, creasing the corners of her eyes. He halts on the spot. "Too far?"  
  
"Try again." Akira does, taking the chance and moving a little faster. "Hh--Yes!" He grins and gets up on his palms, raising his hips out and then surging in. Makoto becomes a mess of moans now. She tries covering her mouth with the back of her hand but Akira swats that handicap away. "But you don't moan that loud," she argues, hands now gripping the sheets up by her head.  
  
"I could," he dares to say. Makoto bites her lip at him in thought. "Want me to?"  
  
"Maybe.” She flushes down to her chest. “Actually… do it." She doesn't want to admit how hot that has her getting. Akira, like the Joker inside him, chuckles and shuts his eyes as he leans down and leaves a dark mark on Makoto's neck.   
"Nn! Akira you can't--"  
  
"--I can and I will. You're mine, aren't you?" How could she argue that? He jerks in and out of her suddenly and she moans so loud his ear pops. She desperately wraps her sore legs around him tighter as he abuses her freshly opened body with amazingly accurate thrusts that shake her entire core. “You’re amazing,” he pants, crying out for more. His eyes bore into the side of her face as he commits this moment to memory. “Ghh, I love you so much.” At this point he's fucking her into the bed while still being careful not to hit the top of her head on the wall. "Ggggh! Makotooo," he whines, sounding so innocent compared to the aggressive way he was speaking seconds before. Makoto was swimming in her own pleasure at this point.  
  
"Akira! Nn--nnnn!" He moans right back, mouth pressed against her throat.  
  
"Ah! C-can't do this for too long--really wanna finish soon," he warns. He digs his fingers into her back and it honestly hurts but she isn't in the state of mind to correct him. Right now they're too busy thrusting themselves against each other like animals in heat, and taking painfully sharp breaths that prickles their lungs. The closer she gets to her peak the more her head is dipping backward into the pillow. The sound of their bodies connecting is beyond exciting for Akira. It's clear Makoto is wet and real and here just for him to be inside of and he hasn't felt this light and just happy in a while. Probably since he last saw her actually. He just growls his appreciation into her and barks out her name.  
  
"D--HH--is it o--KAY--For you to c-c...ejaculate with the con--condom?!" Akira takes a second to process the words before he hugs her to him and slows down his thrusts again.  
  
"I can cum outside of you if that eases your worries."  
  
"I don't know…" she sighs, looking up at him sweetly and touching the side of his soft face. "I sort of want to know what it feels like if you did it inside me though." She covers her face with her hand. “I never thought I’d say something so… Ah it doesn’t matter.”  
  
"I want to feel it too." Akira gives her an encouraging smile and he gets up on his palms again, giving them a little space for their chests. "Can you finish?" Makoto bites her lip and nods. She slides her hand between them and he shifts to let her rub her middle finger over her clitoris again. "Fast or slow?"  
  
"Um. Fast?" Akira grins wide and grunts in approval before fucking her at a brutal pace that has her back arching. The bed can hardly hold them now.  
  
Ssc--SCREE--SCreee!  
  
Pant. Pant--hHh!  
  
"Mmakotooo," he chokes out. The half-scared half-pleased look on his face makes Makoto soar and she kisses him hard on the lips, grabbing his face with arousal still on her fingers.  
  
"I need to finish," Makoto whispers into his mouth.  
  
"Thank God." He ruthlessly thrusts into her and within one or two more movements he's twitching and bursting his seed deep inside her. The heat of his semen worries Makoto but she's getting taken away on her own waves of an orgasm that beats out any other one she's had. Her mouth is permanently open and she's nearly crying into his shoulder, gripping his penis inside her like a squeezing fist.  
  
"Aki--HAH!" Their foreheads knock against each other and it jitters their teeth. All the tight constricting of her body lets loose all at once and she falls back onto the bed with total relaxation overtaking her. Satisfied doesn't begin to describe it. "Amazing," she sighs, her forearm thrown over her eyes. Akira pulls out and drops onto his side, cramming himself against her and the wall. He's still breathing heavily against the side of her face until a little childlike bubble of glee bursts in his stomach and he's kissing at her shoulder and neck with sweet vigour.  
  
"IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou," he whimpers into her skin, tickling her neck. She laughs, light-hearted and kind, and turns to face him with hair messy in the back. Makoto runs her hand down his side and kisses his nose with a hum.  
  
"...Remember the school festival when we were at the event with the MC together?" Akira blinks; it was a random thought to bring up.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I still sometimes think about how flustered I was when you jumped up in the crowd and asked if I had a boyfriend," Makoto laughs, loud and pleased. Akira smiles back and nods. "Ugh I was ready to kill you! And then everyone called me out for my blush… I mean how was I supposed to hide that! Everytime I looked at you I was going to just--burst!"  
  
"Is that why you didn't sit by me much when we'd all meet up at hideouts?" Makoto itches her forehead and nods yes. "Makoto," he starts, "Remember what you said to me on the roof that day though?" She looks up, thinking about it before grinning at a random spot on the wall. "I'll take that as a yeah."  
  
"I commented on how brave you were to speak your mind and… mentioned that my sister always said finding a man like that was…"  
  
"...One you should marry." Makoto and him hug on instinct and he savors the feel of her breasts against his chest. "Hey, is that something you think too?"  
  
"That I should marry a man like that…" Makoto pulls back to look at him seriously with her wet red eyes. "Or that I should marry you?" Akira feels his heart stop and for a second it feels like it will never beat again until it starts hammering up to his throat.  
  
"I… me. Would you marry me?" Makoto looks on the verge of tears when she sniffs and puts a hand over her boyfriend's heart. His heart is beating just the same as mine. It's like there's not a way we aren't connected.  
  
"Yes." They both break out into wide smiles. "Without hesitation I would." Makoto rubs his back soothingly and kisses his forehead until Akira breaks the silence again.  
  
"...If I were to propose… the wedding part, could you stand waiting for a while?" That set off a little warning in Makoto's mind. Was he really about to ask her to marry him right here with no ring, in bed, naked? But to her surprise (and maybe disappointment, she didn’t know) all he said next was, “Hmm.” She just opened her mouth when--  
  
BRRR-innnng!  
  
“Really,” she sighs, sitting up to quickly reach for her phone set next to his on the shelves still filled with things friends gave him. It makes her roll her eyes when she notices that he still has that phone case Ann ordered for him that has a wacky picture of Makoto frazzled and blushing at graduation. Though it is cute he put it on right away. Once she sees her screen she immediately goes on high-alert.  
  
“Sae-san?”  
  
“She’s gonna kill me.” Makoto turns the phone to him. “Look at the time.” Akira hisses and sits more upright to supportively rub her back that tenses up dramatically. The last train had already blown by. Makoto breathes in sharp before sliding the lock on her phone screen open and putting the it up to her ear. “Hey Sis,” she greets, trying to sound composed again.  
  
“Hey,” comes the deeper voice. Akira can listen in from this close. “Are you still safe at Kurusu’s?” Makoto nods then rectifies her silence with a quick,  
  
“Ah, yes! I’m still here… I guess the time went really fast because um… seems like the last train is gone by now,” she adds skittishly.  
  
“Hmm… I wonder what you may have been doing that had you so distracted?” Akira picks up on the half-joking tone of the older Niijima but Makoto's too stressed about getting scolded to notice. 'Damn I didn’t know Sae-san was like that,' Akira thinks with a chuckle.  
  
“Oh--WELL--you see we went to the mall--and um--came back here--to his place--and um--” Akira can’t watch this anymore. He lightly taps Makoto’s shoulder and she turns to him before he carefully takes the phone out of her hand.  
  
“Sae-san? It’s Akira.”  
  
“And so it is,” she returns. “I take it things went quite well for you for your first day back.” She was almost laughing on the other end and it makes Akira snicker under his breath too. Makoto can’t believe what she's hearing and it's stressing her out even more. I’m going to go grey sometime soon if this keeps up, Makoto worries, tugging her messy hair.  
  
“I almost missed you after all this time,” Akira claims.  
  
“Oh please,” Sae huffs. His fingers are busy picking at the blanket around his waist. “Let’s make this quick; are you staying with Makoto alone tonight?” He gazes up at Makoto who's rubbing her temples aimlessly.  
  
“I am.”  
  
“Straightforward. Good.” A moment goes by. “Just keep it safe, ok?” Akira grins like a leering snake and Makoto shushes him with a finger against her own lips. “Well that’s all. Tell Makoto I said goodnight.” She was about to hang up without him saying anything and he suddenly barks out,  
  
“Hang on!” Makoto leans back a bit at the sudden enthusiasm and he starts scrambling off the bed to at least get his underwear back on. He forgot he was still wearing the condom which is… kinda gross. Still, that doesn’t stop him from peeling it off and tossing it into the can while balancing the phone between his shoulder and ear and shimmying into his tight red polka dot boxers. “Can you just give me a second? There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”  
  
“I’m still at the office you know? There’s plenty I could be doing right now.” Her aggressive tone doesn’t even faze him.  
  
“Well I appreciate your time,” he adds, muffled by his shirt going over his head.  
  
“What are you doing?” Makoto asks quietly, holding the blanket over her modest breasts that are covered in bruises from his lips. 'And DAMN that is so hot!' He mouths that he’ll be back and hurries down the creaking steps before throwing himself into the furthest booth.  
  
“Sae-san, I know you have every reason to keep Makoto away from me but… I really appreciate that you haven’t done that.”  
  
“Where are you going with this?” He can see right through those words. She’s actually quite touched by what he said.  
  
“I think I want to propose.” Sae coughs and it sounds strenuous.  
  
“What?! You’re still in high school, Akira!” He feels himself deflate and slouch in his seat but I can’t give up on this.  
  
“I know. We won’t get married for another year or so,” he looks up to make sure his girlfriend isn’t standing anywhere nearby. “But I want to give her that promise that this time apart we’re suffering through right now isn’t forever… and I know I want this. I’m pretty sure I know Makoto wants this too,” he finishes strongly. Sae sighs on the other side of the line and every quiet second that passes makes his resolve even stronger.  
  
“Well I don’t agree with this entirely,” she roars. “However, I think it’s time I stop trying to tell her what to do since she is becoming more and more of her own woman.” Akira tightens his lips and nods to no one. “Bring Makoto home tomorrow night. Just the two of you. I have something for you if you’re serious about this.”  
  
“I’m dead serious,” he confirms raspily. “Would you like us to bring dinner?”  
  
“Uh, no. No, I'll make something. Come by exactly at six. If you’re late…” she threatens. He gets shivers thinking about what could happen.  
  
“I won’t be, see you then.”  
__


	3. Dinner Time

  
By the time Akira hiked his way up the steps, Makoto had thrown her shirt and underwear on and paced the room a few times over. The second he reaches the top step she rushes over to him like a scared dog.  
  
“Everything’s fine,” he says, handing her her phone back.  
  
“Thank God.” Her whole body seems to relax so he hugs her with one arm as he leads them to the couch. The way she slouches against his shoulder reminds him of the night they first kissed. She always had a way of being both bold and fearless, yet nervous and timid. He scratches his head and remembers to tell her that,  
  
“Sae-san is going to make dinner for us tomorrow. So we have to be there at six.” Makoto jerks up so fast she nearly busts his nose. Her eyes are wide and she starts fanning herself.  
  
“What? Why?! Do you think she knows about what we did?” Makoto stands up and resumes her pacing, flailing her hands around almost comically. “I mean-- they say that you’re glowing after you lose your virginity. Am I glowing?” She starts inspecting her own arms and hands and Akira just shakes his head in humor.  
  
"No big deal, babe. I _asked _for her to talk to me.” Makoto spins toward him with a question on her glossy lips. “You’ll know why soon. Now can you please just come over here and let me kiss you again?” Makoto blinks and self-consciously rubs her hands up and down her chilled arms before doing as he says. The second she sits down he pulls her in by her waist and they kiss chastely for a few minutes before falling into a comforting and safe embrace. But then Makoto must turn or shift awkwardly because a groan escapes her.  
  
“I feel… really sticky still and it’s um, different I guess.” Akira starts twitching at the memory of what they did a little while ago and he can’t help but feel THAT part of him grow. Apparently Makoto notices because she tsk’s and asks, “Again?”  
  
“Can’t help it. Look at you,” he murmurs, nuzzling her jaw with his nose. Makoto wraps her arms around his shoulders and rests her chin on top of her forearms.  
  
“...Did you want to give it another try?” Akira could swear a beam of angelic light was showering down on them because he never heard better words in his life. It was a really long, relaxing, exhilarating night to say the least. However, it was odd when Akira was the first to wake up to the sunlight sneaking in through the blinds. It takes him a second to ease his way out of Makoto’s tight hold on his waist so he can shimmy out of bed and tuck her in. It was only seven-something so Leblanc wasn’t going to open for another half-hour. Makoto doesn’t have a toothbrush or anything, he thinks to himself as he puts on new clothes jumbled up in his duffle bag. He's going for skinny jeans and a black flannel today. He walks over from the couch to the bed to grab his phone off the shelf. Before he shoves his wallet into his back pocket and leaves for the convenience store, he takes a minute to just admire the honestly beautifully growing woman so peaceful in her sleep. He bends down to kiss her on the lips before hurrying out.  
  
His trip to the store was only about ten minutes and he nearly ran back to the cafe before quietly working his way up the steps just to spot Makoto rising off the bed. She’s still totally nude and Akira can’t lie, it's a really nice sight. He pushes his glasses up his nose and shakes the dirty thoughts away. 'Can’t have her thinking that’s all I want now.'  
  
“Where'd you go?” He raises up his hands, holding a toothbrush, paste, and antiperspirant between his fingers and she fixes her hair behind her ear with a smile on her lips. “You’re so thoughtful,” she comments thankfully. He puts it on the counter beside the stairs before, noticing she was about to get up and fetch her clothes, instead rushing to get them for her. “You really don’t need to be this sweet, Akira. I can at least get myself clothes.” He leans down to kiss her forehead over her messy bangs.  
  
“I want to,” he emphasizes, touching her soft hair. She gives him a look that says more than words, and he shoots one right back before kissing her again. This time it’s definitely picking up in heat, and before long she pulls him on top of her by his collar and they’re grinding against one another’s hips like the horny teenagers they are.  
  
“MMmf! Akira! We aren’t getting anywhere like this.”  
  
“You started it.”  
  
“...True,” she gives in, turning her head for him to kiss her neck more. The way he sets a pace for his hips to move is excruciatingly delicious and it makes her more eager than she’d like to admit. The only thing that stops them from taking this further is Boss’s voice booming from downstairs that he’s here,  
  
“So don’t be doing anything too loudly!” Sojiro adds. Makoto gets all embarrassed so Akira removes himself from her hold and allows her to finally put her now wrinkled clothes on. When Makoto finally comes up from the downstairs restroom, she looks mortified. Apparently Sojiro teased her by pointing out her uncharacteristically messy hair and disheveled appearance before saying, “Nice night, huh?” She slaps Akira’s shoulder when all he does is chuckle into his fist.  
  
The second they step out of Leblanc, Futaba nearly crashes into them. Instead of apologizing of course, she spouts off something about meeting up with Haru. Makoto's actually happy about that though. It had been a while even for her, since Haru was so busy with things. But as time slowly ticks closer to six, Makoto gets increasingly nervous, 'which is ridiculous since I don't even know WHY he asked to talk to her.' Since Akira’s busy talking to Haru and Futaba right now, his attention is taken off of Makoto for a while. They were all sitting around an exceedingly large white table with extravagant drinks laid out in front of them. Futaba’s chowing down on a feast at this point. Makoto has to admit, going to Haru's did have its perks. But as she stares at her boyfriend, her thoughts don't seem to slow, and she finds herself tapping her chin and wagging her foot in thought.  
'It must be related to what he talked about last night. So marriage, huh? I'm sort of surprised. He doesn't quite seem like the type. Then again, I certainly do… give or take a few qualities.' Makoto furrows her brows at the floor. 'I hope he's not just doing it for my sake.'  
  
"Hmm," she hums aloud. Both Haru and Akira turn her way and she just smiles reassuringly.  
  
"Everything ok, Mako-chan?"  
  
"Oh. Yes. Just thinking." Akira looks suspicious but doesn't add anything more.  
  
"Well if you aren't going to share, I've been wanting to ask you something."  
  
"Me? About what?" Makoto perks up and leans in a little. For the rest of the conversation she keeps her head out of the clouds. By three o'clock they drop Futaba off at Leblanc and leave the cafe holding hands. 'The best feeling in the world,' Makoto thinks happily.  
  
"So? Where to next?" She checks her phone for the time.  
  
"Seeing as I only have two more days here, how about we just do something fun, at least for today."  
  
"Two days," Makoto repeats solemnly. 'I suppose it’s really just one day technically since he’s leaving on the ninth.' Akira kisses her cheek before pulling her toward the used store around the block. Without a second to blink, Akira grabs a white PSP off the rack and buys it.  
  
"Nice to see you again young man."  
  
"You too, sir." Makoto loves that about Akira; he always chooses the most polite things to say. She's sure that respectful nature is why Sae even slightly tolerates him. And then an uneasiness creeps in again that she promptly ignores. "I needed something to do on the train back home."  
  
"You need a game don't you?" Akira nods. "Well then um… Akihabara?"  
  
"Do you think we'll make it to your place in time?"  
  
"Yes," Makoto answers.  
  
"Let's do it then," Akira replies, shoving the device in his deep pockets. He stopped carrying a tote bag over his shoulder unless he was at school since Morgana isn't around. That feeling of not bringing one still feels a little odd, but he shakes it off every morning with a rumbling in his chest. When they get to Akihabara, a maid who’s leaning against a vending machine actually whistles at Akira WHILE Makoto is holding his hand. Akira ignores it but Makoto's absolutely seething. 'This is so unbecoming of me. Why do I still get jealous over such silly things?'  
  
“Hey,” he nudges her elbow. “She pales in comparison to you anyway.” Makoto rolls her eyes and shoves him slightly.  
  
“Flatterer.” Akira squeezes her hand and leans closer to her face as they walk.  
  
“Aw come on, Makoto. You’re too awesome to be getting jealous over some girl.” Makoto sighs and squeezes his hand back.  
  
“I know, I know.” She gives him a more confident kiss on his shoulder and they move on.  
  
Instead of going to the huge electronics store, Akira takes them further down the street to a modestly sized used store that just reeks of Futaba's taste in memorabilia. No one seems to be around them really, so she takes the plunge and hugs Akira from behind while he scours through the deep bin of old games. It doesn't take long for him to find a few to his liking and swiftly buy them up. They still have a lot of time to kill though, so they end up walking through a few random shops. It’s nice just being able to browse with him and not worry too much about heavy conversation; but that doesn't mean she was missing something here. A little smirk creeps on to her face.  
  
"Akira," she pulls him into the back corner of a quiet little bookstore hidden by a huge shelf. She blows him a silent kiss as the hint and he looks behind him before dropping his bag to the ground and holding her waist. The music playing in the store’s quieter than their lips sucking and teasing each other. Apparently Akira has a frisky side to him too because his hand sneaks past her defenses, slipping under her shirt and squeezing her breast. Biting down extra hard on her bottom lip, he coaxes her tongue to slip into his mouth. She groans against his lips before pulling away. "None of that," she scolds. Her red eyes are playful though. Akira grins before taking her face in his hands and kissing her hard on the lips one last time.  
  
"Let's get to your sister now, alright?" Makoto nods and they make their way over.  
  
Kk-ddrk. Makoto's key (accompanied by a Buchi keychain of coure) pulls out of the lock, and she gently pushes the door of the apartment open. 'I've never actually been here before,' Akira realizes.  
  
"Hey Sis, we're here. Are you decent?" The second Akira sets his plastic bag down next to his ankle-high boots, Sae is leaning against the dining room table nearby.  
  
"Of course. Dinner’s ready. Set the table, please, Makoto."  
  
"Alright." She hurries to do that and leaves the two alone.  
  
"Hello," Sae greets with a serious look in her eye. He bows his head. "Follow me." She starts without him and he scurries to catch up with her, feeling his socks slip over the wood of the floor like skates. Sae slides open a black door at the end of the hall and he ducks in behind her.  
  
"Wow," he states quietly. Sae just waves it off. Her room is modest yet decorated with things he knows must be worth quite a bit of money. She even has a short hanging chandelier over her bed. Sae opens her closet that looks quite deep, and he waits patiently by her bed. She comes back just seconds later with a small burgundy box in her smooth hands.  
  
"This was my Mother's. Open it." He takes it cautiously and pops the lid. His eyes open wide behind his glasses and she chuckles. It's an engagement ring that has three thick diamonds clustered up like a flower. "Makoto didn't know Mom well, so I doubt she'd even recognize this. You could tell her, or you can just say it's from you. Your choice."  
  
"Are you sure you don't want it though?" It’s remarkable… and definitely expensive as all get-out. Sae just huffs and crosses her arms.  
  
"Just consider it yours. I don't plan on getting married anytime soon. If ever." Akira hums and inspects the ring again. It was perfect. The way it would shine off of her fair skin was like it was meant to be hers. 'I can’t wait.'  
  
"Sis?! The plates are out and everything!" The two of them look up and he shoves the box into his pocket hastily.  
  
"We're coming!" She shakes her head in the direction of the door and they mosey toward it. Akira starts grinning at the back of her silver head before he taps her shoulder to stop her. She looks annoyed when she turns back but that annoyance switches off with a scoff when he pushes his luck and hugs her in thanks. "Don't do that again," she warns, rolling her eyes. “Even if you are the one responsible for… saving my life.” Akira just smirks wider and heads out to the living room. Sae watches after him with a little grin of her own. While they sit and eat, Makoto entertains all of her sister's small talk until Sae gets visibly bored of the conversation and shifts gears.  
  
"So how has school been for you Kurusu? Staying out of trouble?" He swallows his drink and nods. "You haven't been seeing anyone else, right?" Akira's actually caught off guard by the question, seeing as how Sae just gave him a ring.  
  
"No. Makoto's the only one for me," he’s quick to answer. Makoto places her hand on his lap in thanks and Sae watches his face soften at the touch.  
  
"Have you ever dated anyone else?" Sae's looking at him intensely. Anything he does feels like it's going to be judged ruthlessly. He doesn't even want to swallow. Sitting more upright, he digs his fingers into his pants.  
  
"I haven't."  
  
"Do you see yourself losing interest because of that? I hear the heart wavers after a while."  
  
"Sis," Makoto chides, "This is not an interrogation."  
  
"Let me ask him these questions. I'll only need to ask once."  
  
"What are you really trying to get out of me?" Akira is almost daring her and Makoto fears what might come next, shifting awkwardly in her chair.  
  
"Brave," Sae comments, tapping her chopsticks against her plate. "I just want to know if you're serious about her. Serious enough to move in, serious enough to give up what you want for her sake… at least partly. Are you mature enough for these things? It is true that men develop slower than women into adulthood." Akira clears his throat and sets down his sticks.  
  
"That's easy. Of course I'll give up everything I have for her if I must." Sae drops her head in an attempt to hide her smile. "She’s perfect for me… and I'd fight for that. Just like before."  
  
"Akira…" Makoto coos, giving him a soft look Sae's never seen on her sister's face before. Akira takes her hand in his and kisses her knuckles.  
  
"Well it seems you’ve won," Sae remarks, getting back to her dinner. "That's all I needed to hear." Akira tips his head toward Sae and finishes his dinner holding Makoto's hand. As it nears eight P.M., and they’re gathered around the couch chatting, Sae checks her watch, causing Makoto to glance at her phone.  
  
"I'm afraid it really is getting a little late," Makoto announces, sounding bittersweet. She rubs her palm against Akira's lap before saying, "It's probably time you head home."  
  
"How long are you here for?" Akira answers Sae. "Then why don't you just spend the night with him again, Makoto? You may as well enjoy your time together." Makoto sits upright with an energy about her now.  
  
"For real?! That's great! Is… should we stay here or go back to his place?"  
  
"The cafe? Well. Either's fine with me." Makoto turns toward her boyfriend with a huge smile gracing her face that she tries to suppress with a little noise.  
  
"My place?" He asks. Makoto nods enthusiastically. As Makoto throws together a night bag, Akira sits on her silky smooth sheets and glances around the room. There's a lot more red and white than he was expecting, and he just has to point out the motorbike set he had given Makoto a few months back. He remembers giving it to her at the top of the ferris wheel she had been freaking on out since it was her first ride. Akira itches his neck at the memory of his dare for her to lean in closer to him. She did it though. 'I can always count on her to do something unexpected in a pinch.'  
  
"I ended up getting a few modifications for it with Futaba. She really does enjoy being in Akihabara after all." Makoto zips her small bag, but before she asks if he's ready to go, one curiosity pops up in her mind. 'I always did wonder what it'd be like to kiss a boy in my room.' She gets a little hot at the thought and picks at her pleated skirt. "Akira, would you mind sitting there a second longer?"  
  
"Yes it's exhausting," he sarcastically replies.  
  
"Oh poor you," she retorts, walking over to him and grabbing his shoulders. "You're gonna help me with something," she confirms quietly. She doesn't explain, just leans in, and he meets her half way there without hesitancy. His soft lips feel perfect against hers, and the little girl who thought about particularly risqué things started to flare up in her. 'How far could I get if we kept quiet?' Makoto stops her kisses to lock the door. Akira looks a little excited at the tick of that lock.  
  
"You're not trying to do what I think you're doing, right?" There was a hopefulness in his voice that doesn't go unnoticed; if anything, it steels her resolve. Makoto looks him dead in the eyes with total seriousness before dropping to her knees in front of him and reaching for his belt. "Woah woah woah," he warns, tightening his fists in the sheets. Makoto anxiously glances up at him while she frantically pulls his belt loose. "Makoto!" He whispers loudly.  
  
"I always wanted to try this. Unless that's not something you want!"  
  
"I-I do, I just wasn't expecting any of this so soon after…." Makoto undoes his fly and cautiously reaches for his penis, holding it like it's sacred.  
  
"I'm not really s-sure how to do this if I'm being honest. I just know in theory it goes in… yeah." Makoto flushes furiously and blinks about a thousand times before Akira pets the top of her head.  
  
"I don't know what you're supposed to do either so… let's figure it out together ok?" Makoto swallows and nods curtly. She starts at the head of it, already looking a little swollen, before at a snail's pace, she puts it in her mouth. Even with a sucking of her lips, the sight of her on him makes him twitch noticeably and she pulls off to look up at him.  
  
"You alright? It doesn't hurt, right?"  
  
"No it--I wasn't expecting how good you'd look doing that." Makoto somehow blushes harder and gets back to it. She realizes quickly that holding him with one hand and using her mouth doesn't really work, so she awkwardly holds his waist before just settling on touching his knees. That image of her, looking so focused with her cheeks deflated from the suction is driving him wild. She hums when a little of his pre-cum leaks out and he has to dig his fingers into the sheets when she starts to bob her head ever so slightly. Her tongue sliding around his foreskin drives him insane too. She puts just enough pressure on him and he’s starting to get achingly hard inside of her mouth.  
  
"M-Makoto!" Akira tilts his head back and stares up at the ceiling with his teeth creaking against each other. His head fills with images of her on her back last night, panting for him. Akira’s hips start to jerk up a little thinking about the rhythm he set, but he keeps it minimal knowing full well Makoto isn't used to that sort of thing yet. Akira places his hand on his girlfriend's head again so he can stroke her hair and tug at the ends just slightly. She whines at that and he whines right back at the pleasure she's giving him. The way her tongue licks at his head after every hard suck sets a great pace that has him throbbing easily. "Holy--urgh! You're really good at this, babe." He can tell she smiled at that because her next suck at the base of his penis is a little less constricting. She soon fixes that by sucking HARD on his head and he moans breathlessly into the air before holding her shoulders with both hands and jerking upward. "Mm--mf!"  
  
"Yuh shd--fnsh," Makoto says around his penis. And just the knowledge that her speech is slurred because of something so dirty and unlike her makes him get that much closer to bursting his seed right down her throat. ...But his mind isn't totally gone.  
  
"Get off, you won't like the laste," Akira warns, voice high.  
  
"Leh me try." Akira shuts his eyes tight and pulls at the sheets again.  
  
"Makoto I'm--you should stop!" She doesn't though. And before he knows it, her tongue is swirling around his shaft and kissing at his groin before giving him one last long suck that sent him off into oblivion. He groans in his mouth and it all bursts out of him. He hadn't cum that much ever in his life. He felt a tinge of worry when he realizes Makoto would have to be drinking that, but when he got the courage to peek down at her, she already swallowed. 'Holy SHIT.' The second she takes her mouth off him, he lifts her up by her forearm and twists so he has her on her back against the bed. "Argh, Makoto you're so perfect," he growls. She smiles up at him sheepishly and it took everything in his heart to try to calm down. 'I wanna just do everything right now and make her moan for me again and FEEL inside her and-- 'he sighs loudly and rubs his hand over his face roughly.  
  
"What um… what might you be thinking up there?" She taps his head cutely and his whole body sags a little. His penis is still hanging out of his boxers and it’s pretty evident that he’s ALREADY getting excited again.  
  
"We should really get back to the cafe."  
  
And there they went. It’s explosive the second the Leblanc cafe door shut, and now they’re upstairs where Makoto is slowly being made love to and it’s perfection captured in a glass bottle. She expected him to be rough with the way he had been teasing her throughout the whole train ride and walk here, but he does just the opposite now. The surprises he always gave her were perfect after all. And as Akira rocks into her hips, and looks into her honest and kind hearted eyes swirling with love, he knows he has one last surprise in him before this trip is over, and he’s going to do it tomorrow. Before long though, Makoto taps into her more dominant side and uses her strong legs wrapped around him to flip him onto his side then push him over on his back.  
  
“Yes!” Akira cheers with his teeth gritted. She was loose enough to ride him cautiously and he was more than stoked. She presses her hands against his chest for support as she slowly sinks down. It really did hurt but she was more than willing to try; especially if,  
  
“You seem more excited than I thought you’d b-be.” Akira laughs and strains to keep his hips still.  
  
“This is one of my favorite things to think about,” he explains, sitting up a little to admire where their bodies are connected. “And… and you look incredible doing it.” Makoto just sputters out a bunch of incomprehensible nothings but she’s cut off by the sharp hitching of his breath when she starts moving up and down a little more quickly. He looks painfully turned on with his eyes dark and heavy and Makoto finally decides within herself that she’s done feeling silly about this. She leans back and opens his view of her modest bust by holding his narrow hips and puffing out her chest. He groans at that and shamelessly reaches up to gently pull at one taut nipple.  
  
“Nn! That feels so much better than it should,” Makoto confesses, noticing her arousal squeeze its way out of her everytime she pulls up with her waist. Really this whole thing feels better than it should. He had already dropped his hand by the time she said that. Missing the feeling however, she grabs his wrist and puts his hand flat against her breast again. She raises her chin and looks down at her boyfriend who’s looking incredibly pleased by her sudden forwardness. “You--hh--like when I’m… more um. In charge, I guess?” Akira nods enthusiastically and Makoto has to laugh for a second. “Then keep still. I want to try something.” He nods again and she leans back, swinging her arm behind herself, to experimentally drag a finger over his testicles that were swollen beyond belief.  
  
“KK-Nygh!” He was acting like she had squeezed them or something because his whole body jerks up and she has to press him back down with a firm hand.  
  
“Is that good?”  
  
“God yeah,” he answers in bliss, gripping her waist and pushing her hips back and forth.  
  
“I--I thought I was the one setting the rhythm here,” Makoto tries but fails to say seriously. Her eyes were rolling into the back of her head at the feeling now. Akira was about to argue but she just shushes him and demands that he should, “Be a little rougher.” Akira growls and sits up, whining when she did in fact squeeze him harder this time before she smacks his lips against her and lifts her hips for her with his strong and capable hands. He was slamming in and out of her until their pelvises were completely bruised and she didn’t have the heart to tell him how much it hurt. 'It feels like my body is going to break but he’s so close I can just hang in there--'  
  
“Mmmm-Makoto!” He sounds so different when he moans. His voice wasn’t as thick with charm and composure and it made her heart stop every time. He was hugging her so tightly he couldn’t move anymore as his body bursts inside of her and twitches against her pulsating heat so deep in her womb. After only a minute he was limp in her arms and panting against her shoulder. “I-I have to get you off too.” Makoto whines at that, feeling the fire still in her veins, but she slowly gets off him and whines in a different way.  
  
“It hurts a little too much to do it again tonight,” she admits regretfully. And even though Akira was spent and sweating, he stiffens up in worry just to caress her legs and inspect her lower body. “Don’t feel bad it was amazing.”  
  
“I didn’t mean to get so carried away. That was stupid of me,” he remarks. He looks down at the sheets and immediately jumps up on his knees. “You’re bleeding.” A small spark of panic lit up her chest but then she looks at his condom, filled with his semen, and saw that blood was also on the outside.  
  
“Take that off, I’ll wipe the sheets.”  
  
“I really was too rough,” he quietly says, slowly doing as she said.  
  
“Akira. It’s natural. You were just really deep in me and probably broke my… my hymen. It’s ok. If I don’t move too much, I’ll be fine.” As Makoto said this she was getting ready to put clothes on to get a wet towel from downstairs, but Akira hurries to get up and stop her. He persuades her to sit back down and he kisses her cheek before getting his boxers on again. “You’re spoiling me far too much.”  
  
“Get used to it.”  
__


	4. Huge Night

  
"One day left," Makoto announces. Her eyes are fixated on a crack in the ceiling above Akira's cramped bed with her hand combing through her bangs. In order for them to fit, it was easier if she just slept between his legs or on her side. Today she was cradled between his thighs with only a loose checkered nightshirt covering her up against his entirely naked body. The movement of her reaching for her phone on the floor woke him up though, seeing as he's stretching out his arms lazily. "Sorry to disturb your sleep."  
  
"You could never," he replies groggily, shifting himself so he's sitting up against the head of the bed. Makoto moves from between his legs so he can cover himself better from the early morning breeze that no doubt slips in through the old windows. "You look upset," he comments quietly.  
  
"Oh. Maybe a little. It's just that it's the last day and all…." Akira nods his head, looking a little sad himself; but when his eyes drift over to his duffel bag where he hid the ring, a sly smile creeps up on his face. Makoto cocks her head and taps a finger against his nose. "And just what are you planning, mister?" He chuckles to himself and in turn squishes her nose until she swats him away and shoots off the bed. "I think everyone will want to see you before you leave in the morning. Guess I have to suck it up and let them, huh?"  
  
"We have the whole night…" he says with a heavy implication in his tone.  
  
"...Y-yeah. That is true, isn't it?" She clears her throat to recount herself and starts getting changed for the day. "I'll leave it up to you on when and where you invite everyone, ok?"  
  
"Got it," Akira answers, pulling the covers down and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He catches Makoto's wandering eyes and he snaps his fingers up by his head, making her pop back into attention.  
  
"Oh, stop!" She shuffles off like an angry duck and he laughs as he fetches his own clothes. He sticks one leg in his pants when he starts thinking about the task at hand. 'I have one chance to get this right… and I need it to be today. Where should I invite everyone? Should I have us be secluded? Who would I know that would have an idea?' At the final button of his shirt, a bulb goes off in his head and his eyes light up behind his lenses. He runs over to the steps when he hears Makoto now chatting with Sojiro and he fist bumps the air. He rushes back to his bed and calls up Ann, Futaba, and Yusuke. Futaba can be quite romantic in her own right since she's so good at reading everyone.  
  
"Hello?" Comes Yusuke's deep and relaxing voice.  
  
"Hey," Akira greets quickly, scratching at his chest. "This is a group call. You guys all here?"  
  
"Yeah I heard that Inari's dumb voice," Futaba mumbles.  
  
"I'm here alright," Ann happily assures.  
  
"I have to make this quick," he says, hushed. "I'm going to propose to Makoto tonight--" Ann literally squeals on the other line, "--And I need some ideas for where it should happen."  
  
"But isn't that something you should pick yourself," Yusuke mentions first.  
  
"Yeah I just need ideas I guess." Maybe this was silly to ask about. 'Or maybe I just wanted to hear the response from other people. I haven't even told my parents of these plans after all… let alone had them meet her.' Akira's nerve starts to crumble.  
  
"HEY," Futaba shouts, making his ear ache immediately. "Enough from you, Yusuke! Think romance for just a second."  
  
"I already do such a thing," Yusuke argues, making Futaba sigh and cut him off again.  
  
"Look key item, you need to catch her off guard. She probably already has an idea you're going to do it."  
  
"That might be true," Ann ponders. "But doing it at the least cliche kind of place seems the most… her. So don't do something all grand like popping the question in the middle of Destinyland, ok?"  
  
"Noted," Akira says. "Somewhere Makoto wouldn't expect, huh…?"  
  
"Or perhaps somewhere you and her have a strong attachment to that's become banal may be reinvigorated if you choose to ask her there. After all, the location’s importance is second to the reason in my eyes," Yusuke adds. Akira thinks on that.  
  
"Well he can't just ask her in the middle of a Big Bang Burger!"  
  
"Why not?" Ann and Futaba both sigh as Yusuke's quiet question.  
  
"I think I have an idea," Akira boasts. "You'll hear all about it tomorrow."  
  
"What?! We can't be there???" Futaba sounds honestly distraught now.  
  
"Yeah how's that fair?" Ann whines. Akira just shakes his head, and then--  
  
Dk dk dk dk.  
  
Footsteps are coming up the stairs.  
  
"Ah--I gotta run, I'll text you all soon!" Beep. "Hey babe," he says, covering his frantic hiding of his phone for no reason. Makoto gives him an odd look and he's almost sweating.  
  
"Alright…" she comments under her breath before charmingly sitting on his thigh and hugging him. "Where are we going today?" Akira didn't even hear the question, he was far too busy savoring the feeling of her in his arms and memorizing the way she smells without a shower. "Akira?"  
  
"Hmm? Oh. I don't really know right now… but at night, I wanna hit Dome Town."  
  
"The amusement park? Really? I guess I'm not that surprised. You always did like a thrill."  
  
"...Like last night?" Makoto groans into his neck and flicks his glasses.  
  
"Oh stop it.”  
  
An hour later they've met up with everyone at the sushi place at Haru's request. She had heard this was somewhere they all enjoyed once but couldn't afford to go again. She really just did it because it made Akira happy which he made sure to express his gratitude for. When they get to the restaurant, Ryuji seems a little bent out of shape and Akira can't think of a reason why. He really knows something was wrong when Ryuji hasn't said one word to anyone else either. As they ate, Akira gives Ann a questioning look as she sat by his side and she chews her last bite before leaning over and whispering into his ear that,  
  
"Yusuke and Futaba blabbed about your plan to everyone." Akira's shoulders fell. That was the kind of thing he should have told his best friend first, he had to admit that. Immediately Akira felt that nagging guilt, and a pit in his chest started to form and turn into a mischievous black hole of anxiety. Ryuji could be really hard to win back. "Just give him a few, he'll have to move on by the time he says his goodbyes for tonight." Akira makes a noise of disheartened acknowledgement and continues to eat while listening to Makoto talk with Yusuke. When Makoto turns her head to look at her downtrodden boyfriend, she immediately bumps her knee against his under the counter.  
  
“You ok?”  
  
“I’ll be fine,” Akira says under his breath, looking at Ryuji who’s just eating aggressively and ignoring everyone else. Makoto follow’s Akira’s line of sight and interlaces her fingers with his.  
  
“When did you two have an argument?” Akira just shrugs. “So then it’s just a misunderstanding?” Akira nods. “Hmm.” She tries to reach into her brain to pull out the right words but there just aren’t any that sound sincere. She settles on kissing his jaw, and Ryuji visibly looks agitated, gripping his glass so hard it could shatter. He slams his fist against his thigh so hard it sounds more like wood than skin, and he jerks the chair back, startling Haru.  
  
“I’ll be back,” Ryuji coughs, jaw clenched. Ann shoots Akira a worried look and Akira rubs the back of his warm neck.  
  
“You should probably go after him,” Makoto offers quietly. Akira’s shoulders tense up near his ears before she kisses his head and whispers in his ear that, “He loves you. Anything you say will make him feel better; just try.” That... actually does help Akira quite a bit.  
  
“...You really do have a way with words,” he says, half sarcastically before kissing his girlfriend's head. Makoto just shoo’s him off and soon he’s outside the restaurant doors and face to face with Ryuji who looks surprised Akira followed him so soon.  
  
“I guess you remember me now, huh?” Ryuji’s wall comes right back up and he kicks a can down the sidewalk before loudly falling back against a graffitied light post. “I mean seriously? You told YUSUKE before ya told your best freakin’ friend?!” Akira tucks his hands into his pockets and ducks his head. There aren’t too many people out right now which is a shock. On second thought that’s probably great because then the restaurant won’t get any complaints about loud noise and aggressive looking teenagers causing a scene.  
  
“I get why you’re upset. I just wanted ideas from people I thought might know her a little better.”  
  
“...I guess,” Ryuji mumbles, running his hands through his spiky hair. “But don'cha think it's a little shitty you couldn't have told me you were at least thinking about it?! I mean--we talk like everyday. N' I mean… are you sure Makoto is even _the _one?" Akira's jaw nearly drops to the floor and his heart sinks in his chest. Ryuji catches that look on his friend's face and backs down, stuttering as he says, "Uh--I-I'm just asking a question, hah."  
  
"Why do you always give us a hard time?" Akira asks this in all seriousness. There isn't a hint of enthusiasm in his face as he stares Ryuji dead on. The blonde boy rigidly takes a step back and looks anywhere but at his friend.  
  
"It's complicated, man."  
  
"Tell me."  
  
"Akira," Ryuji sighs, rubbing the side of his neck until it's red and blotchy. "It's hard getting used ta not really seeing you all that often." He looks up at Akira's grey eyes for the first time tonight, and his punk-like face is ruined by aggravation wrinkling his brow. "And when we do hang out, it's like… Makoto's always gotta be there n' so does everyone else. Sometimes I miss when it was just us, hanging out and kicking shit over at the gym." Ryuji snickers at the thought, staring down the street at a random pole. "I guess hearing that news scared me a little bit." Akira cocks his jaw and fixes his collar.  
  
"Best friends don't stop being best friends because of a girl," Akira explains. Ryuji looks up again. "Besides Makoto… I know I could tell you anything and you wouldn't say a word of it to anyone else. That kind of trust is what I respect, and I'll never let that go." A little smile turns up the sides of Ryuji's pouty mouth and it gets bigger when Akira raises one of his arms for a side hug. Ryuji accepts begrudgingly and knocks Akira's head with his fist. "Ow?"  
  
"You deserve it." Ryuji grins and hitches his thumb over his shoulder. "Where ya gonna do it?"  
  
"On the ferris wheel."  
  
"Oh? Oh yeah! They're gonna have fireworks tonight!" Akira smiles and nods. That was the plan. "Well where is the damn thing? I wanna see." Akira looks around before pulling out the box. Ryuji snatches it carelessly and Akira nearly breaks into a sweat when the ring almost rocks out of its small cradle. "Woah!"  
  
"Sae-san gave it to me. It was their Mom's."  
  
"Holy crap…" Ryuji breaks out into a devilish smile. "I heard they're pretty well off too… you got all sortsa lucky!" Akira just shakes his head--  
  
DFF! The restaurant door swings open and Akira and Ryuji fumble with the box before it safely gets stuffed in Akira's pocket again.  
  
"What's the matter?" Yusuke asks, brushing his fingers through his slick hair.  
  
"Nothin'," Ryuji states simply, tapping his foot. "We're good now." He looks at Akira who's looking back at him with the same intensity as always. Instead of feeling uncomfortable by it, Ryuji embraces it and swings his arm over his friend's shoulder. "You guys wanna head over someplace fun now?"  
  
"We could go to Ueno and see the art," Yusuke tries. Only Haru tries to be nice and agree to it, but soon Ryuji loudly declares that,  
  
"Nah. We're all going to Dome Town for a bit."  
  
"Huh? But that's just for Aki--" Ann cuts herself off and Makoto tips her head to one side.  
  
"Just shuddup and listen will you? We're just gonna say our goodbyes after having a buncha fun and then parting ways, alright?" Ann raises a hand in defeat and nods slowly.  
  
"Sounds good with me," Akira finishes.  
  
"And there ya have it, let's go!" Akira was just about to reach for his girlfriend's hand when Ryuji grabs him by the collar and throws him forward so they're walking ahead of the rest of everyone.  
  
"Ugh Ryuji," Ann chides, walking next to Makoto. "I swear, he's got the biggest crush on your boyfriend."  
  
"'SCUSE ME?!" Futaba laughs at Ryuji's outburst and Makoto mumbles something under her breath.  
  
"What was that?" Ann leans in closer to Makoto.  
  
"I just have to agree with you," she says, halfway serious. When they arrive at the modestly sized amusement park, Makoto mostly skirts around the rest of the group, allowing them to have their last few hours with Akira. Before every ride, it seemed like either Ryuji, Ann, or Futaba were fighting over who got to sit by him, and Haru always just hums in humor and sits by Makoto. After one particularly rough coaster, Makoto sits out, and Yusuke of all people decides to sit with her on an overheated steel bench that was baking them alive in the sun. As they sit there, thinking to themselves, Makoto gazes down at her hands with nails painted white. Her eyes fixate on her ring finger. 'I wonder….'  
  
"Interesting…" Yusuke comments quietly with children yelling over the top of him. Makoto looks at him from the corner of her eye and he crosses his slim legs. "How long have you seen it coming?" Makoto smiles at her feet and fixes her hair behind her ear.  
  
"A few days," Makoto answers, watching mothers have spats with their kids. "I assume it'll be tonight."  
  
"I presume you will say yes."  
  
"Definitely." Yusuke hums again and rests his elbow over the back of the bench. "It's unexpected, even for me. I never thought I'd find someone so early on in my life but… here he is. And he saved me."  
  
"Truly Prince Charming," Yusuke remarks, dusting off his pants.  
  
"You could say that again," Makoto agrees with a smile. She becomes a little more serious when she mentions that, "I always thought I'd be like sis… never finding anyone who could keep up with me. It was a little scary really."  
  
"I long to find someone as passionate about life and people as Akira is. You're quite lucky, as you know."  
  
"I know," Makoto repeats, smiling like a fool when Akira and the rest start walking toward the two. And it wasn't just her and Yusuke that had that feeling. It seemed like anyone Makoto watched talk to him felt the same exact way. At first she wasn't sure whether she should be jealous of the way he had a pull over men and women alike… but after a while she accepted it. He was special, yet he never just let it be. He always showered the people who felt inferior to him with praise that seemed so honest and good-natured. It was infectious. The way he could touch Makoto's heart was different though. And now that she had fully become one with him, her obsessive love for him just intensified. "I can't wait for forever… just with him." Yusuke's eyes widen, and even within the group of shouting teens he's surrounded by, he stays in his own head when he thinks of that look on her face. That was the look of pure desire I have always wished to express in my work. “Akira,” Makoto calls for him over the top of everyone else, and he hurriedly meets her side. Instead of saying anything however, she gets on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss his unassuming lips.  
  
“Man…” Ryuji starts, wiping his brow. “I really needa get myself a girl.”  
  
“Good luck with that,” both Futaba and Ann tease. Ryuji just shakes his fist at them and Haru hugs herself with one arm. Her eyes split apart from the two faster than anyone else, and Yusuke is the first to notice. He leans a little over her shoulder from behind her and asks if she’s alright.  
  
“I’m a little jealous,” Haru whispers, eyes downcast. “But they are perfect for each other. Who am I to stand in their way?” Yusuke nods his head and puts a hand on his hip.  
  
“I have a feeling many girls do indeed feel that way as well.” Yusuke and Haru think to themselves with trepidation on their faces before Akira pulls away from Makoto and looks up at the sky. It was still too early for fireworks, and the sun had only just started to move away. He intertwines his fingers with Makoto’s and points to the huge coaster in the center of the bustling park.  
  
“HELL YEAH!” Ryuji cheers, jumping up and down like a little boy again. Futaba nervously kicks her heels against the bleached cement.  
  
“Do we have to???”  
  
“Hell yeah,” Akira repeats with a cheesy grin mirroring Ryuji’s. Off they all went. By nine PM, the sun was down, and their overheated bodies were never more thankful for night to come. The park died down quite a bit with only two hours left of operation time, and they finally managed to nab a huge booth to fit all of them in. All three boys were busy stuffing themselves with churros and crepes while the girls chatted amongst themselves about school. Ann finally pulled out her phone and noticed the time.  
  
“Oh shoot! The last train is coming soon, guys!” Ryuji gulps down nearly the whole churro before jumping out of his seat.  
  
“Cr--mm’ll--kill-me!”  
  
“Swallow,” Futaba boredly chides him. There’s a huge bobb in his throat before he exaggeratedly repeats himself loudly next to her ear.  
  
“CRAP! My Mom’ll kill me!” Futaba whacks him and Haru politely waves her goodbyes to the girls before walking behind Akira.  
  
“I should be leaving as well,” she announces calmly. Akira and everyone else stand up, and he bows his head to her before waving. “I hope you can come back sometime soon, hmm?”  
  
“I will,” Akira confidently responds, shoving one hand in his pocket. As everyone says goodbye, Akira feels his heart sink lower and lower into the acids of his stomach. The one that really plunged him into the deep end however, was Futaba again. She had already said goodbye, but she ended up sprinting back to him and jumping into his arms for a desperate hug.  
  
“UGHHHH! Life sucks without my big brother, you know?! If only there was a dummy version of you that could spawn when I need someone to talk to again.” Makoto makes a whine of sympathy for the younger girl and rubs her back as she continues to latch onto Akira. Futaba and Makoto had grown quite a bit closer since Akira left, calling each other every other day even for just a few minutes. Most of their conversations were just about Akira, and it made the two feel relieved for the rest of their nights, allowing them to feel an ease in their hearts for a while.  
  
“You can always call him,” Makoto tries.  
  
“It just isn’t the same,” Futaba cries into his chest. Akira gives her one hard squeeze that crushes her bones and gets her squirming before she laughs her tears away. Futaba folds her hands behind her back and looks up at him with reddened eyes. “We all miss you though. And we can’t wait for you to finish school so you can come live here again. Isn’t that right, Makoto?!”  
  
“Correct,” Makoto answers, nodding firmly at Futaba. After a little longer Futaba peels herself off of Akira, and now Makoto and him are walking side by side. When Akira turns his head, he notices right away that the line for the ferris wheel has shortened. He checks his watch that Makoto gave him last Christmas, the line’s only ten minutes… perfect time for the fireworks to start.  
  
“Hey, let’s go on here… for old times sake.” The wait for the line feels like hours just because of all the anxiety itching at him under his own skin. He keeps rolling over everything he’ll say or do once they get to the top of that ride. His eyes keep drifting up there between every other thought. He feels like he's sweating now and it gets harder to keep his foot from tapping agitatedly against the ground. Makoto's been watching whatever internal dilemma he's going through and she has to force herself to ignore it. Besides, she thinks to herself, 'I’m going through my own turmoil I suppose I could say.' Makoto hugs her boyfriend’s arm and rests her chin on his deltoids. 'Marriage, huh? I’ve thought more about it in the last few months than I ever have in my life. It’s not like I really know what a good one looks like since my parents… yeah.' Makoto looks up at the side of Akira’s face and her mind thumbs through all the files it has on their time together, good and bad. When she thinks about the day she got him back from prison, her heart stops beating for a concerning amount of time. Her whole body is shocked all over again just like it was that Christmas night when she knew deep in her gut something was wrong. It had been ironic that the worst night she ever had was over the best person she had ever met.  
  
“Ugh,” Makoto groans, shutting her eyes tight and hugging his arm harder.  
  
“What’s wrong?” He looks worried, but she just shakes her head as they take a step closer to the front of the line. Two back from the carriage now. Makoto’s red eyes meet his grey ones and the full-hearted looks they give each other seems like it could stop time. The way he could worry himself when it comes to her rivals herself. It was so clear that he'll do anything for her and he has proven it countless times. The best part though, was that he won’t give himself up just for her, but for everyone else too. He's amazing. She yearns to be more like him, and this is why he’s everything and more to me.  
  
“Just thinking about you,” Makoto dreamily answers. Akira looks a little flustered by her delivery and the heavy look in her eyes before he looks back at the line and it’s their turn up. Of course he lets her into the carriage first, and the loud click of the door closing on them rings through his whole body and jitters the ring in his pocket. 'Well this is it,' Akira thinks nervously, scratching his neck and stuffing his hand in the pocket with the box. The two of them are looking out the same window sharing his side of the carriage just like back then. “This is still horrifying,” Makoto hisses, breaking the silence. They’re about halfway off the ground now. Akira chuckles and wraps an arm around her, bringing her into his warm side. She graciously takes the comfort and rests her palm on his thigh with her eyes still fixated on the view of the water that seems to stretch on forever until it touches parts of the city again.  
  
“Hey…” Akira starts, noticing they’re getting close to the top. But just as she turns to look at him, loud fireworks go off to their other side, and they both get distracted by the bombastic display of art that stains their faces in flickering blue and red lights. For a second he starts to worry it would be too dark for her to even see the ring, but when he looks down he notices there’s a button to set off a little strip of LED lights about waist high. CLICK--zzt! “Hey, Makoto?”  
  
“Hmm?” Her grip on his thigh tightens a little. He definitely has her full attention. He runs his tongue over his teeth and sucks before raising his glasses into his hair to rest for a minute. His fingers play with the box idly while his face heats up with anticipation.  
  
“I don’t really ever talk about this, but the only thing that got me through those two months at juvy was you.” He peeks over at her wide eyes and he drops his head a little. “Every night I fell asleep worrying if you hated me for lying to you on Christmas.” Makoto makes a noise of denial but he keeps on. “But every morning, I’d wake up, exactly at six thirty-five just like you do, and I’d lay there thinking about how adorable you’d look after you drooled all night on your buchi pillow.”  
  
“...I don’t drool,” Makoto half-heartedly denies. She was too busy feeling elated to really be arguing with him. Akira smiles at her knowingly and pinches her ear before she can swat him away. His arm around her shoulder is shaking a little, but he pushes on.  
  
“You know, I thought about you so much that I had to avidly talk myself into not begging Sae-san to bring you with her to visit me. But then I’d remember how awful some of the other kids were, and I didn’t want you seeing that. I would’ve ended up getting more time in there if they even looked at you the wrong way.” Makoto laughs a little at that and kisses his slim cheek. “Makoto it’s like… I felt like you were the only thing left. I mean, my parents already abandoned me for a whole year of my life and when they heard about juvy…” Akira sighs and fixes his hair. “It felt stupid to be so invested when we had only been dating for a little while… but I realized real fast that that didn’t matter.” Akira looks up into her eyes again. “You and I are meant to be.” Makoto’s eyes water and she sniffs hard before nodding in agreement. “Thinking about you never stops being comforting even back home where no one can even compete with you or the rest of our friends. Makoto,” Akira braces himself. “I know I want you with me forever, so…” He slowly pulls the ring out of his pocket and pops open the lid. “Will you marry me?” Makoto brings a fist up to her mouth and chokes back a cry of excitement before shouting,  
  
“Yes!” Akira breaks out into his own wide smile and takes her hand before delicately sliding the ring onto her finger. It was an exact fit. He patted himself on the back mentally. “God it’s--WONDERFUL--How did you--I mean-where?” Akira grins and shoves the empty box into his pocket as he explains that,  
  
“Sae-san. It was your Mother’s.” Makoto looks down at her hand through teary eyes that glaze everything over. 'I don’t remember it, but it feels really special to know she wore this as well.' Makoto wipes her eyes embarrassedly and the cracking of fireworks fills their ears again. Makoto throws herself into Akira’s arms and he catches her with ease, wrapping her up in an embrace that feels unbreakable. She breathes him in until her lungs can’t take another bit of air, and when she exhales, every negative doubt about their future dies. She tangles her fingers in his hair and clothes and whines into the side of his neck. It felt so cliche and unlike her, but she couldn’t bring herself to care anymore.  
  
“I love you so much,” she cries, voice breaking at the end. Akira’s warm breath brushes over her ear, and he whispers back,  
  
“I love you too.” He moves to take one side of her face in his hand and presses a feather-light kiss to her trembling lips. “Thank you, Makoto. Thank you for everything.”  
__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short and sweet. I'm typically a super long-winded writer but I wanted this to be a quickie. I'm not entirely sure what I'll be posting next since I'm lacking a whole ton of motivation right now (much like everyone else). Maybe I'll do more Persona? Not necessarily just 5 but some of the others. I always have a hard time doing Persona just cuz the games mean so much to me. It's like doing a Bebop fanfic, I could never!


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